At the IFA 2015 in Berlin, at the Lenovo booth, we presented for the first time the second generation of the Moto 360, the first smart watch with a round display. We put a more powerful processor in the new watch and provided an easy replacement for the straps.
The device turned out even closer to the classic wristwatches. Thanks to the Android Wear operating system, the watch works with both Android and iPhone smartphones. Let's take a closer look at the new Moto 360 2gen watch.

Briefly about the history of smart watches
Creating a “smart watch” at first meant combining a radio transmitter and / or computer with a clock. In 1982, the first watch appeared with a docking station-keyboard, which allowed you to drive notes and view them on your wrist, and in the 1990s there were watches that allowed you to control your TV, VCR and music center. Some manufacturers made watches with a sim-card, microphone and speaker - so that they could replace the phone. These ideas did not become particularly popular. Now smart watches are rather a second display for a smartphone, which simplifies access to certain functions, and at the same time a fitness tracker.
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The design of most of the wearable watches implied a rectangular display. Sometimes they were more like Pip Boy from Fallout. There were exceptions, for example, devices combining a mechanical clock with arrows with on-screen notifications. The first watch with a round display became the Moto 360.
First generation Moto 360
Motorola released the world's first smart watch with a round display in 2014. They turned out stylish, worked on a single-core TI OMAP 3 processor, had 4 gigabytes of internal memory and 512 megabytes of RAM
The appearance of the gadget was different from everything that was shown in this market before. The display is not perfectly round, but has a slice below for sensors, but it makes the clock almost indistinguishable from the mechanical. Such a device would be suitable for retrogrades who prefer the “Shturmanskie” watch to the square screen on their hand.
The device received a heart rate monitor and pedometer.
- TI OMAP 3 processor;
- 4 GB of internal memory, 512 RAM;
- 1.56-inch display with a resolution of 320 * 295;
- Bluetooth 4.0 LE;
- Sensors: pedometer, optical heart rate monitor and others.
The appearance of the Moto 360 2 generation
In 2015, live with IFA on Geektimes told about the
latest updates . One of the most anticipated gadgets was the second-generation Moto 360 clock. They received a powerful quad-core processor and a number of other useful innovations.
Moto has released a watch in two calibers - 42 and 46 millimeters. The 42 mm version has two straps - thin and wide. The straps themselves can be easily changed using the latch.
The design has undergone changes - now the strap does not go under the dial, but is attached to the ears that stand out from the case. The location of the only mechanical button that personifies the crown of a mechanical watch has also changed - it has become more convenient to use.
Unpacking
New Moto 360 comes in a big beautiful box with a transparent lid. If you plan to give them to someone - even the bow is not necessary to glue. The clock itself is fixed in a plastic stand, under which is a docking station and a wire for connecting to the power supply network, an instruction manual.




In the docking station, the clock turns the image 90 degrees so that you can see the time and percentage of battery charge.

Design
Let's look at the design on the example of the male version of the watch with a 46-mm display and a wide strap of brown leather. In order to simplify the strap attachment mechanism to the watch, their case was changed - it got ears that bring the device even closer to the classic wrist mechanical watch.




In the first version of the "crown" was exactly to the right, like most ordinary watches. From the point of view of design, this is a great option, but it is convenient only when you start a mechanical watch. To press a button, you have to put your thumb on the other end of the device. The location of the button was changed to 45 degrees, and now it became not necessary to arch the right hand at an unnatural angle.


The resolution of the IPS-screen of 46 mm version is 360x330 pixels. The cut in the lower part remains, but its presence helps to make the body smaller - the proximity sensor is hidden in it. Otherwise, you would have to increase the case itself and make the watch more massive. The gadget has a moisture class P67. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
The device is preset mass dials.



Off screen looks like this.

Soft brown leather strap is changed using a simple snap.


An optical heart rate monitor is hidden under the dial.

Specifications
To make the new clock work better than the first version, the single-core processor was changed to the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400. The memory in the device is still 512 megabytes, the built-in one is 4 gigabytes.
The battery capacity of the 42 mm version is 400 mAh. With active use with multiple requests to Google, notifications from social networks, sending letters and SMS, they will last for about a day. If you use them less actively - you can count on almost 2 days.
The gadget works with a smartphone via Bluetooth and is able to connect to Wi-Fi when there is no smartphone nearby. So the clock continues to be synchronized with the smartphone constantly.
The device works on the Android Wear operating system and has a number of pre-installed applications like Moto Body with functions to maintain health. Moto 360 thanks to an optical heart rate monitor monitor the pulse and report when you load the heart. And consider the steps, of course. To work with the clock on Android or
iOS, you need to install the corresponding Android Wear application.

Usage scenarios
The smart watch Moto 360 is becoming the second screen for a smartphone. On them you see notifications, you can control the playback of music on Vkontakte and other applications, read mail, respond to SMS and WhatsApp messages. Simple commands for Google Now make it easy. You raise your hand, as when you look at the clock, the screen lights up, you say “Send your favorite SMS how are you going to buy,” and Moto 360 sends this message. With the same success you send letters - a team like “Send a letter to the secretariat, I’m lingering because of traffic jams”.

And, of course, the usual search. The gadget gives a photo of Yevgeny Vaganovich Petrosyan to the question “what’s like? You click on the image and the search result opens in the browser on the smartphone.


The device will help pave the route using Google Navigator.




In order to monitor your health, there is already a Moto Body app in your watch. It considers the steps, calories burned, the load on the heart.


The voice control function will especially appeal to those who are not always comfortable using a smartphone as a telephone. According to the
survey , which you answered in the news about the growth of sales of phablets in Russia, smartphones with a diagonal from 6 to 7 inches preferred 8%, and from 5 to 6 inches - a third of Geektimes users. These people will definitely love the Moto 360 features.
And, of course, to all girls, especially the version with a 42-mm display and a double leather strap.
In Russia, the Moto 360 2 generation will be available today - April 19th. They will cost 26,490 for the 42-mm version - both female and male, and 28,490 for the 46-millimeter watch referred to in this post.